Method of filling and assembling compartmented dispensing device



J@'.'7, 1969' P. MOD'DERNO 3,420, 3

' METHOD OF FILLING AND ASS EMBL ING COMPAR'IMENTED DISPENSING DEVICE Sheet- Original Filed Fb. 9, 1965 INVENT OR JOHN P MODDERNO Jan. 7-, 1969 J. P. MODDERNO 3,

METHOD OF FILLING AND ASSEMBLiNG COMPARTMENTED DISPENSING DEVICE Sheet 2 Original Filed Feb. 9, 1965 fill/[III]!!! IIIIIIIIIIII/ INVENT OR JOHN F? MODDERNO Jan..7, 1969 J. P. MODDERNO 3,

METHOD OF FILLING AND ASSEMBLING COMPARTMENTED DISPENSING DEVICE Original Filed Feb. 9, 1965 Sheet 3 of 5 PARTIALLY FILL OUTER CONTAINER SQUEEZE O A EROSOL TYRE FILL INNER CONTAIN ER SECURE OUTER COVER& DISCHARGE TUEIEAND/OR VALVE TO INNER CONTAINER INsERT INNER CONTAIN ER INTO OUTER CONTAINER SEAL OUTER COVER TO OUTER CONTAINER WHEN VALVE CONTROLLED PRESSURIZE OUTER CONTAINER mvsmon JOHN F! MODDERNO United States Patent Office 3,420,033 Patented Jan. 7, 1969 3,420,033 METHOD OF FILLING AND ASSEMBLING COM- PARTMENTED DISPENSING DEVICE John P. Modderno, Gambrills, Md., assignor to Modern- Lah, Inc., Baltimore, Md.,a corporation of Maryland Original application Feb. 9, 1965, Ser. No. 431,420, now Patent No. 3,255,926. Divided and this application Mar. 24, 1966, Ser. No. 537,174 US. Cl. 53-36 3 Claims Int. Cl. B65b 3/04 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This application is concerned with a method of filling containers for retaining reactive components separate untilthe discharge thereof as a mixture or reaction product as desired.

The present invention is directed broadly to the filling and assembling of the type of compartmental dispensing device shown and described in my copending application Ser. No. 431,420, filed Feb. 9, 1965, entitled, Compartmented Pressurized Dispensing Device and Method of Producing Same (now Patent No. 3,255,926) and is a divisional application thereof.

The present invention relates to a compartmented dispensing device designed for separately storing two or more ingredients of a multi-component system, and to the method of producing such dispensing device. More particularly, this invention relates to a dispensing device in which two or more materials are separately stored in nested containers, and are combined shortly before being dispensed from the device.

It will be appreciated that there are various compositions which cannot be marketed in pre-mixed form. Such compositions as hair dyes, dental impression formulae, polyurethanes, rubberized silicones, epoxies, polystyrene foam, foods, insecticides, lacquers, paint compositions, and other multi-component systems of the type wherein chemical reactions take place upon mixing of the components, may be advantageously packaged in the compartmented dispensing devices of the present invention. Compositions of the above type require special packaging in order to maintain the ingredients distinct during shipment and in storage prior to sale, and yet allow the ingredients to be brought together in a convenient manner when their use is desired.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved method for the filling and assembling of compartmented containers by arranging the units thereof in fixed relative position with the containers maintained separate so that the contents may be later mixed and dispensed following the relative displacement of the units which permits communication and the mixing of the contents.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the examination of the drawings, the following detailed description, and the appended claims.

In the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate like parts in the several views:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a compartmented pressurized dispensing device in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a flow diagram showing the steps for producing a dispensing device in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGURE 1 illustrates a typical compartmented pressurized dispensing device of the type employed in the present invention in which an outer container 10 at its upper open end has a cupshaped cover 12 clenched thereto by a rolling flange 14 to provide a hermetic seal between cover 12 and container 10. The top of cover 12 defines a central aperture which is bonded by a rolled flange or bead 16. An annular insert 18 fits within the aperture and is provided with a rolled flange 20 which embraces the bead 16 to form a hermetic seal at this point. Insert 18 has an apertured bottom 22 which is received and retained within a groove in an elongated annular gasket 24.

Rotatably positioned in gasket 24 is a discharge nozzle 26 which has a flared flange 28 providing an abutment for the upper end of gasket 24. At the lower end of discharge nozzle 26 there is formed a valve unit consisting of a plurality of apertures 29 which provide access to the interior of the discharge nozzle, and a valve stem 30 which in its normal position is in sealing engagement with a valve seat 32 formed by the 'bottom end of gasket 24. Due to the resiliency of gasket 24 which is formed of rubber or other suitable material, a lateral force applied to deflect the upper end of discharge nozzle 26 is effective to unseat valve stem 30 and to establish a flow path from the interior of container 10 through apertures 29 into discharge nozzle 26. To avoid inadvertent deflection of dis charge nozzle 26, the discharge nozzle may be covered by a suitable cap, not shown. To this end, the discharge nozzle may :be provided with exterior threads 34 so that the cap may be threaded thereon.

An inner container generally designated by reference numeral 36 is positioned within outer container 10. In the present illustration, the inner container is in the form of a wide mouth bottle and may be made of glass or a suitable plastic. Container 36 is generally rectangular in crosssection having short sides 38 and long sides 40 as shown in FIGURE 2. The inner container has a threaded upper neck 42 which may be threaded into a screw cap 44. Cap 44 is operatively connected to the discharge nozzle 26, and is preferably integral with the valve stem 30. It will be appreciated that with cap 44 operatively engaging neck 42, an ingredient within the inner container 36 is separated from the ingredient within outer container 10.

Outer container 10 is provided with a pair of opposed longitudinally extending essentially V-shaped indentations 46. The pair of indentations 46 are preferably 180 apart. As shown in FIG. 2, the depth of indentations 46 is such that the distance between the opposed indentations is less than the largest dimension of the inner container 36 in a horizontal plane, namely, the diagonal distance between opposite corners of the inner container.

The purpose of indentations 46 will now be described, assuming that the filled dispensing device is to be readied for use. In order to mix the ingredients within the inner and outer containers, the user rotates discharge nozzle 26 in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 1. This causes a corresponding rotation of cap 44, and initially, of the inner container 36. In the embodiment illustrated, the inner container 36 can rotate through only about before it abuts against indentations 46 as shown in the dash line position of the container in FIG. 2. After this position is reached, further rotation of discharge nozzle 26 will cause cap 44 to rotate relative to the inner container so that the inner container becomes detached from cap 4 4 and falls by gravity to the dash line position shown in FIG. 1. The dispensing device may now be shaken to accomplish an intimate admixture of the now combined ingredients in order to ready the device for use.

FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of the device utilized with the present invention and differs from the previously described embodiment in the means employed to prevent free rotation of the inner container 36 so that cap 44 may be rotated relative to the inner container. A ring member 48 is positioned longitudinally within the outer container 10 by means of spaced pairs of dimples 50. The ring member is formed of a resilient material so that it can be snapped intoposition between dimples 50. Rotation of the ring member within the outer container is prevented by opposed indentations 52 in the outer container which engage complementary shaped indentations 54 in ring member 48 as shown in FIG. 4. Projecting inwardly from the ring member 48 are a plurality of sprues of rod-like elements 56 which are shown as engaging the long sides 40 of the inn-er container. In this manner, the inner container is prevented from rotating so that cap 44 may be detached from neck 42 in the manner described previously in connection with the FIG. 1 embodiment. While four rod members '56 are shown for the purposes of illustration, it will be appreciated that the same end result of restraining rotation of the inner cylinder could be obtained with only one or two such elements.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a production line method of assembling compartmented dispensing devices in accordance with the present invention. Assuming that the outer container has already been provided with abutment means such as the indentations 46 of FIG. 1 or the ring member 48 of the FIG. 3 embodiment; the outer container 10 is then partially filled with one of the ingredients, or with a mixture of compatible ingredients at a first filling station. Concurrently, the inner containers 36 are filled with another ingredient at a second filling station. The filled inner containers are then passed to an assembly station at which preassembled units consisting of cap 12, dispensing value 26 and the associated structure including cap 44 are united to the inner container. At this time, cap 44 is threaded onto neck 42 of the inner container to seal oif the ingredient within the inner container. The discharge of units from this station is preferably correlated with the discharge of the partially filled outer containers from the first filling station. The sub-assemblies are then picked up by suitable gripping means or the like, and the covers 12 are placed in position upon the outer containers 10 with the inner containers positioned within the outer containers. Covers 12 may now be sealed to containers 10 by flanges 14 or any other suitable means such as double seaming. Suitable conveyors, control means, etc., necessary to carry out the above described assembly method on a production line basis are in principle known and form no part of the present invention. The assembled dispensing device may be pressurized in a known manner with a propellant such as one or more of the Freons, hydrocarbons, nitrogen, argon or other suitable inert gas.

The dispensing device in this condition may be stored until use is desired, whereby rotation of the discharge valve 26 is effective to cause mixing of the ingredients within the containers in the manner described hereinabove.

Although the present invention has been described With particularity with reference to preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated, after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. While the present invention has been described in connection with a pressurized dispensing device; certain features of the invention may find use with a squeeze type of dispensing device. Accordingly, it is intended to encompass all such changes and modifications as fall within the scope and purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of filling and assembling a compartmented dispensing device for separately storing ingredients of a multicomponent system until use is desired, comprising the steps of partially filling a self-supporting outer container with a predetermined amount of a first component at one station, substantially simultaneously filling a selfsupporting inner container with a predetermined amount of another component at a second station, substantially simultaneously forming at a further station, a sub-assembly including a closure wall for said outer container, a discharge tube mounted in said closure wall, and another closure for said inner container connected to said discharge tube, passing said inner container from said second station to said further station and fastening said closure to said inner container to form a unit consisting of said subassembly and the filled inner container, passing said outer container to a position at which said unit is placed upon said partially filled outer container with the inner container extending into said outer container, and sealing said closure wall to said outer container.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising pressurizing said outer container by introducing a pressure medium through said discharge valve.

3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the outer container being of the squeeze ty-pe.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,973,883 3/1961 Modderno 222-436 X 3,241,722 3/1966 Nissen 222-136 3,255,924 6/1966 Modderno 222-436 X TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner.

R. L. SPRUILL, Assistant Examiner. 

